2012 Trail Runner Trophy Series Wrap Up

Our annual Trail Runner Trophy Series has drawn to a close ... the results are in!

October marked the close of the 2012 Trail Runner Trophy Series presented by GORE-TEX. Series races spanned the United States and Canada, and winners hailed from as far apart as Alberta and Pennsylvania. With 138 off-road races to choose from, runners could rack up points by tackling distances from three miles to over a 100.

Steve Baber, 54, of Indianapolis, Indiana, the Non-Ultra 50-plus age-group champ, enjoyed the far-flung nature of the Series. “I think the best part of my Trophy Series experience was picking out the races and planning the trips,” says Baber. “Many of the races were in remote areas and the anticipation of seeing new race sites and trails was exciting.”

Meira Minard, 39, of State College, Pennsylvania, the 30-to-39-year-old Non-Ultra age-group champ, is a former road runner. She "turned trail" a couple of years ago, and says, “There was no going back to pounding the pavement. Trail running is an experience, not a ‘workout’—and I love the fact that no two steps are the same!”

Minard also thanked the race directors and trail caretakers for “maintaining the hundreds of miles of trails that make every run a new adventure,” a sentiment all of us trail runners echo.